Barking Dog

This Black-tailed Prairie Dog is one of hundreds that make their homes in tunnels along a local trail.  They are fairly bold because they know they can dive into their holes before anyone could catch them.  This guy was sitting in his doorway barking at me as I photographed him.  He let me get pretty close before he dove for safety.   
I have pasted some Prairie Dog facts from Wikipedia below:

Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents that live in large colonies in the grasslands of central and western North America. There are five species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison’s, Mexican and Utah. The most common species is the black-tailed prairie dog, the only species of prairie dog found within the vast Great Plains region of North America.
Prairie dogs are considered a “keystone” species because their colonies create islands of habitats that benefit approximately 150 other species. They are also a food source for many animals, including coyotes, eagles, badgers and critically endangered black-footed ferrets. Many species, like black-footed ferrets and tiger salamanders, use their burrows as homes. Prairie dogs even help aerate and fertilize the soil, allowing a greater diversity of plants to thrive.